Fumigating apparatus



ST. ELMO BATEMAN.

FUMJGATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY29. 1920.

1,426,536. Patented A11". 22, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEU 1. l

SLEImu ElaTeman.

ST. ELMO BATEMAN.

FUMIGATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JuLv29, I920.

1,426,536, 7 v Patented Aug. 22, 192-2.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EL wanton ELElmu Eateman.

ST. ELMO BATEMAN. FUMIGATING APPARATUS.- APPLICATION FILE!)1ULY29r'1920.

Patented Aug. 22-, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m. v wm we mi B u m 5 i UNHYE SYA'E'ES.

s'r. ELMO ne rnivrnmor ms ANGELES, cALIronNm.

. FUMIGATING ArminAr as;.

- Application filed July..29,

To all "w/wmc't may concern.

Be it known that 1, Sr. ELMO BATEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los-Angeles and State, ofvCalifornia, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements inFumigating Apparatus, of which the followingTis aspecification.

. This invention relates to means for raising andlowering canopies,tents and the like, and the primary object of the in vention is toprovide an improved means for quickly and easily placing and removingcanopies over citrus trees and the like, during the treating thereofi'byfumigating gas for scale and other pests that damage the trees. 1

Another object of the invention is'to provide an improved apparatusembodying a. pair. of wheel trucks. arranged to support an overheadframe, the frame having an improved means. associated therewith forpermitting a canopy or the like to be quickly raised or lowered overatree to be treated. A further object of the invention ,is. to provideanimproved apparatus for aiding in fumigating of fruit trees-and the likewhich is of such a construction that the samecan be readily movedbetween the rows of trees in anorchard and when in one posi-. tioncaneffectively reach four different trees, so that the canopy can bereadily placed over or removed from the same with out necessitating therepositioning of the apparatus for each tree; I A further object of. theinvention is to provide an improved apparatus for use in treating oftrees in which the frame is ad justable within certain limits and soarranged that trees spaced various distances. I

apart can be effectively reached by the apparatus without necessitatingthe reposi tioning thereof, the adjustable frame" also permitting theeffective treating of trees of various heights and circumferences.

A further object of. the invention is to provide an improved means fordetachably associating the hoisting cables of the apparatus with thecanopy so as to permit the hoisting cables to be readily attached to ordetached from the canopy.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved canopy whichhas associated therewith in a novel manner a pair of spaced canopy.ropes, slida-bly Specification of Letters Patentf Patented Au 22,. 1922.1920. Seria1-No. 399,649.

mounted invaf plurality of eyes carriedby.

the canopy, thecanopy ropes being adapted" to be detachably,connectedwith the hoist-.1v

ing cables of theappa'ratus: 1

A still-further object of the invention is to provide animprovedapparatus 'ofthe above: character, which is durable andeflicient in use, onethat is simple and easy to manufacture, one that.canibe placed'upon the market at a reasonable; cost, and one which canbe readily taken apartand 001- lapsed for storage or, transportation.

-VVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement. and formation of parts asv will behereinafter more specifically described,

claimed and illustrated in the accompany.- ing drawings, forming a partof thisspecification, in which drawings Figure-l-is a side elevation ofthe improved. apparatus showing a canopy positioned over a tree tobefumigated. Figure 2'is a plan view of. the supporting. frame. v I

Figure 3 is a transverse the supporting frame.

Figure 4 is a detail fragmentary section taken on the line 4 4 of Figure3.. .Figure. '5. is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional viewillustrating the. .means;

section. through for associatingv the-transverse bars with the.

longitudinally extending side bars OifltlIG- supporting frame. i F lgure6 is a transverse, section through;

. the frame, illustrating the, means.- for con.-:

section means for holding the forward truck against,"

movement when the apparatus is in use.

Figure 12Iis a plan view of the improvedcanopy.

Figure 13tis a diagrammatic view illustrating the lay out of anorchardand the method pursued in'placingthe canopies-over thetrees. r r I 1.

Referring'* to the drawings, in? detail,

wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, the letter A generally indi cates theimproved apparatus and B one of the improved enclosing canopies.

The improved apparatus A includes a main truck C and a forward truck I),a supporting bridging frame E carried by the trucks and the liftingcables F.

.The main truck 0 includes a platform or bed plate 5 the opposite endsof which carry suitable supporting axles 6 on which are rotatablymounted the forward and rear wheels 7, which may be provided withsuitable tires 8, which may be of the pneumatic variety if so desired.

The central portion of the truck is provided with an upstanding bearing9, the upper surface of which is semi-spherically shaped for a purposewhich will be hereinafter more fully described. The bearing 9 is adaptedto receive the upstanding vertical hollow post 10 the lower end of whichis shaped to conform to the configuration of the bearing, and it can beseen that the post is free to swing in said bearing. The upper end ofthe post 10 is provided with a collar 11, which supports a plurality ofright angularly positioned radially extending eyes 12 which havepivotally connected thereto the depending guy rods 13. The guy rods 13have interposed therein suitable turn buckles 14 whereby their lengthsmay be adjusted. Two of the guy rods 13 are arranged at the longitudinalcenter of the truck C while the other two guy rods 13 are arranged atthe transverse center of the truck. The two rods 13 which are arrangedat the longitudinal center of the truck are connected by a flexiblesprocket chain 14, while the other two rods are connected by a flexiblesprocket chain 15. Suitable guide wheels 16 are carried by the sides ofthe truck for receiving the sprocket chains and it can be seen that thesprocket chains pass entirely under. the supporting platform 5. Theplatform 5 supports on its lower surface a longitudinally extendingshaftl?- which has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a sprocket wheel18 which is adapted to engage the sprocket chain 15. The shaft 1'? isprovided with a suitable crank wheel 19 whereby the same can be rotated.it can be seen that by rotating the crank wheel 19 the sprocket chain 15will be moved transversely of the truck, and thereby swing the post 10at an angle to the vertical longitudinal center of the truck. The lowersurface of the platform 5 also rotatably supports a transverselyextending shaft 21, the outer end of which is provided with a crankwheel 22 for permitting the rotation thereof. The inner end of the shaft21 is provided with a sprocket wheel 23 which engages the longitudinallyextending chain i l andjit can be seen that by turning the crank wheelpendicular position. This is easily accom-' plished by the manipulationof the crank wheels 19 and 22. Suitable releasable locks 24; and 25 areprovided for engaging the sprocket wheels 18 and 23 respectively andthese releasable locks each include a pivoted lever 26, the free end ofwhich is adapted to engage in the teeth of the sprocket wheels. Theopposite end of the pivoted lever is connected to a link 28 which ispivotally connected to the inner end of an operating foot pedal 29.l/Vhenit is de-' sired to operate the shafts for adjustingthe positionof the post 10, it is merely necessary to depress the foot pedals 29 androtate the cranks 19 and 22.

The supporting post 10 slidably receives a standard 30 which is adaptedto be attached to the overhead frame E which will befhereinafter morefully described. The

standard 30 is adapted to be held in any adjusted position by means of aremovable pin 31,. which is adapted to be placed in any one of aplurality of apertures 32 formed therein. By adjusting the standard 80the height of the overhead frame E may be regulated in relation to thetruck and to a tree which is to be treated.

The forward truck .1) embodies an axle 32 which is rotatably mounted ina suitable bearing sleeve and this bearing sleeve is provided with apair of upstanding spaced ears 34 between which is positioned the lowerflattened end 35 of a sup porting post 86. The opposite ends of the axle32 support wheels 37' which may be provided with tires 38 of thepneumatic type. A draft tongue 39 isprovided for the forward truck so asto permit drawing of the apparatus to the trees which are to be treatedand this draft tongue includes downwardly extending right angularlydisposed feet 40 which are adapted to dig into the ground to preventaccidental movement of the truck D when the frame E is posi tioned forlifting or lowering one of the canopies B over a tree to be treated. Thetongue 39 also supports an angular extending arm ll which extends in anopposite direction to the feet 40 and this arm is provided with asubstantially circular collar 42 which is adapted to rotatably engagethe bearing 33. When the truck Dhas been placed in an adjusted positionthe tongue 39 is swung downwardly as clearly shown in Figure 11 of thedrawings which will throw the feet 40 into engagement with -the like.

suitable guy rods 52Wl'll0l1 extend .longitu- V dinally of the frame andare connectedmesses the ground andraise thewheels 37 olf of the ground.The forwardendof'the tongue 39 engages theupper surface, of the groundasv Will the feet 40 and thus'it can be seen that a relatively largebearing surface, is providedv for the forward truck so as to hold thesame against movement. The

lowerfiattened end 35 of the supporting post 36'is pivotally connectedto-the ears 34: by av pivot pin 43 and thus it can be seen that thesupporting post 36 is' also free toswingin relation to. the forwardtruck D. Thisv permits the standard 36 to swing in relation :tothe post10. The post 36 is of hollow formation and slidably receives a standardla-Which is held in its adjusted position by a suitable removable pin4C5 which is extended through any oneof a plurality of openings 46formed therein.

The upper-bridging supporting frame E I includes a palr'ofspacedlongltudinally extending side bars 47 and end bars 4-8 and 49. Theend bar 48 has arranged adjacent theretoa pair of spaced parallel barsand 51 Which extend transversely across the frame. The bars 47, l8, 49:,50 and 51 may benformed. of any preferred material but the same ispreferably formed of piping or The frame, E is also'braced by thereto atthe central portion thereof by means of relatively short, verticallyextendingrods 53. The upper ends of the standards 30 and 44: carrytransversely extending semi-cylindrical rods 5% which are adapted toengage the transversely extend.

in end bars or cross rods of the frame.

The terminals of the. semi-cylindrical rods swung on the upper frameWhen the trees;

are positioned at various. distances from each other and it can be seenby swinging back the clips 56 the upper frame can be I entirely detachedfrom the standards when 47, and these feet are held in place by.suitdesired. The upper frame has also arranged thereon transverselyextending hollow pipes. 59, one of WlllCllr is arranged relativelynearer the end ofthe frame than the other. These hollow rods 59 carrysuitable depending feet 60, which areadapted to embrace thelongitudinally extendingside bars able retaining bolts 61.. Each of thehollow rods. 59 has slidably mounted therein the oppositelyextendingsupporting arms 62,

-73 of the hoisting cables '72.

the outer ends of which arebent angularlya as at 63. [The upperterminals of the angular ends of the rods v62 support guide.

pulleys see around which are adaptedtobe trained the hoistingcables-forjthe canopy The inner ends of the sli'dingarms. 62

.carry upstanding plates 65 whichprotrude.

throughgrooves 66 formed in the hollow rods 59. These plates 65.formguides for; Y

the arms and prevent rotary movement thereof n the'hollow. rods. arealso braced by 'fdiagonally extending guy rods 66-Wlil0h have. theterminals connected respectively to, theupperen'ds of the angularterminals 63 "of the arms and the, plates 65.

of, base plates 66f, whichhave outwardly extending arms 6?, whichsupport rollers 68. hese rollers'68 also form guides for the hoistingapparatus. The end barsy l8 and suitable guide pulleys 70 which also areadapted to re'ceivethe hoisting. apparatus;

The hoisting. apparatus F includes a longitudinally extending cable 71,the terminals of Which hang over the sides ofthey frame and formthepulling ropes. This long1tudinally extending rope is trainedaround thepulleys 70. Each'of the-pulleys 6.4 have trained therearoundv thehoisting cables 72 andthe inner. ends. of the cables 72 are trainedaround the guide; pulleys68 and;

are connected to the longitudinally extendingrope 71. The'lowerterminals of the hoisting cable 72 carryfsuitahle snap hooks or locks73, which are adapted to engage the canopy B. Thusit can be seen thatWhen either end of the pulling cable'is'artuated the hoisting .cables 72Will be raised.

The improved canopy QB ispreferably formed of canvas or, the like andis" substantially rectangular shaped with the cornersthereof cutdiagonally as clearlyshown 3 in Figure 12 of the, drawings. -This formation allows the canopy to assume a substantially circular shape whenin'kuseg, as shown in Figure '1 of the dratvings. Arrangedlongitudinally of the canopy, B is 'a pair of spacedcanopyi ropes 74Ewhichare .slidably mounted in a pair of. rows of guide eyes 75 securedto the outer surface of the The arms 62 The hollow rods 59 also havesecuredthereto at thecentral portionthere- LQ-havealsosecuredintermediate their ends canopy. The outer Tends of'these eyes 75i are loosely secured tothe canopy by means of'ropes 76. Theterminals ofthe canopy. ropes 74; are provided with rings 77 Which are adapted to beengaged by the snap hooks H The rings 77 also prevent pulling of thecanopy rope.

through the eyes 75. In Figure; 13 1s illus trated alayout of an orchardand it"can be seen that the trees are arranged'in spaced parallel rowswhich are substantially equidistant apart. The trees are generallyplanted 20, 22 or 24: feet apart; and the ims eff of the first tree.

proved apparatus is so constructed as to readily treat trees positionedthese distances apart.

The improved apparatus A is moved be tween a pair of spaced rows oftrees in the orchard and the main truck C is stopped at a pointapproximately equi-distant from four of the trees. The front truck 3) isthen pulled around untilthe frame E is positioned over the first tree.This action is permitted owing to the fact that the standard SlO is rotatably mounted in the post 10. When the front truck D reaches toedesired position the tongue 39 is swung downwardly until the feet 40 areforced into theground, which holds the front truck against movement.Prior to this, one of the canopies B is se-' cured to the hoistingcables 72 by means of the snap hooks 73, which engage in the rings 77.The pulling cables 71 are then operated which elevates the canopy abovethe trucks. When the forward truck D has been positioned in correctrelation to a tree to be treated, the cables 71 are T leased whichpermits the canopy to be lowered over the tree. When the canopy hasreached its correct position the snap hooks 7 3 are released from therings 77. Another canopy is then at tached to the snap hooks and theforward truck D is then swung around so as to move the frame E over theadjacent tree in the outside row. This canopy is then lowered over thesecond tree, after which the apparatus is then moved. between the nextfour trees indicated by the cross mars and the main truck C ispositioned equi-distant from these trees. The forward truck D is thenmoved so as to position the frame E over the tree of these four afterwhich the truck is moved so as to position the frameover the second treeof these four in the first row. This operation is repeated until all ofthe trees of the first row are covered with the canopy. As toe timerequiredto fumigate tree is thirty to fifty minutes, by the time theapparatus has reached the last tree in the first row the canopy from thefirst tree in the first row can be removed. The apparatus is thenbrought back to the starting point and the truck D is then moved so asto posi- C tion the frame E over the first tlee; The

snap hooks 73 are then placed in eng gement with the rings 77 and thecanopy is lifted The truck D is then swung around over to the first treein the second row which will. position the frame over the same. Thecanopy is then lowered over the first tree in the second row sitterwhich the forward. truck is swung around the second tree in the firstrow so as to permit the positioning of the frame thereover and thecanopy is lifted of the same. After the canopy is lifted the truclr D isswung in front of the second tree in the second row and the canopy isthen lowered trees in the orchard have been treated.-

If the trucks are positioned on a hillside the posts can be readily heldand moved to a perpendicular position by operating the cranks 19 and 22as herebefore described. Tf a relatively high tree is to be treated thestandards 30 and 4A can be readily raised. For trees of a relativelylarge circumference, it is merely necessary to move the arms 62outwardly until the desired adjustment has been reached. Where trees arespaced a relatively large distance from each other it is necessary toraise the frame E by moving the standards 30 and a4; on the posts 10 and36, and the standards are then swung outwardly on the clips 56. It alsocan be seen the connection of the canopy ropes 74L it can be seen thatwhen the hoisting cables 72 are raised the lower ends of the canopy willbe elevated first. After they have been elevated a certain distance theother parts of the canopy will be raised. j i

From the foregoing description it can be seen that an improved canopy orapparatus been provided for use in fumigating fruit trees and the like.f

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of the in rention; but,

1 claim: v I

1. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair of spaced trucks, an overheadframe carried by the trucks, means rotataloly connecting one end of theframe to one truck whereby the other truck can move around the firsttruck as a pivot,outwarclly extending adjustalole arms carried by theframe, and a hoisting and lowering apparatus carried by the adjustablearms. 7

2. In tree fumigating apparatus pair of spaced wheeled trucks, anadjustable frame carried by the trucks for movement in a horizontalplane, and a hoisting and lowering apparatus carried by the frame.

3. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair of spaced wheeled trucks, anoverhead frame adjnstably carried by the trucks, a hoisting and loweringapparatus carried by the upper surface of the body, a supporting postnally and transversely extending rods together, longitudinally andtransversely extending rotatable shafts carried by the body, sprocketwheels carried by the shafts arranged to engage the sprocket chains andmeans for independently operating the shafts.

5. In a'tree fumigating apparatus, a pair of spaced wheeled trucks, anoverhead frame detachably carried by the trucks, means connecting oneend of the frame, to one of the trucks for rotary movement so as topermit the other truck to be swung around the first mentioned truck as apivot, transversely extending adjustable arms carried by the frame,hoisting cables carried by the arms, and means carried by the cables fordetachably engaging a cover for a tree.

6. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair of spaced Wheeled trucks,upstandinghollow posts carried by the trucks, adjustable standardscarried by the posts, an overhead frame, means detachably connecting thestandard to the frame, and hoisting cablescarried by the frame.

7. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair of spaced wheeled trucks,upstanding hollow supporting posts carried by the trucks, means forswinging the posts at an angle to the trucks, means for holding one ofthe posts in adjusted position, adjustable standards telescopicallymounted in said posts, means for detachably connecting the standards tothe posts, a frame detachably connected to the upper ends of thestandards, outwardly extending adjustable arms carried by the frame,hoisting cables carried by the arms, means detachably connecting theouter terminals of the hoisting. cables to a canopy, and pulling cablesconnected to the hoisting cables.

8. In' a tree fumigating, apparatus, a main supporting truck including arectangular" shaped body, supporting wheels carried by the terminals ofthe body, a hollow supporting standard swivelly carried by the centralportion of the truck, guy rods carried by the upper end of the post,flexible cables connecting the terminals of the guy rods together, meanscarried by the truck for engaging said flexible cables for moving thesame in relation to the truck,'a second truck, a supportingpostpivotally carried by the second truck, supporting standards slidablymounted in the supporting posts of the trucks, a removable frame carriedby the upper end of the standards, and a hoisting and lowering apparatuscarried by the:

frame.

9. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair- .of spaced wheeled. trucks,an overhead,

frame, means rotatably connecting one end of the frame to one of thetrucks to permit the other truck to move around the first truck as apivot, a' hoisting and lowering apparatus carried by the frame, andmeans carried by the second mentioned truck for engaging the ground toprevent movement of the truck.

10. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a pair. of spaced wheeled trucks, anoverhead frame, means rotatably connecting one end of the frame to one'of the trucksso as to permit the-other truck to move around the same asa pivot, a pivoted ton .ue carried by the second mentioned truck andextending feet carried by the inner end "of the tongue arranged toengage the ground,

1nto engagement.

when the tongue is moved with the frame.

11. Ina treefumigating apparatus, a pair downwardly of spaced wheeltrucks, an overhead framev v a djustably carried by the truck, hollowrods arranged transversely of the frame, sliding arms mounted in thehollow rods, pulleys carried by the terminalsof the arms, meanscarriedby the arms forpreventing rotary movement thereof in the, hollowrods, guy pulleys carried by the hollow rod intermediate the endsthereof, hoisting: cables trained over said guy pulleys,a canopy, meansdetachably connecting the canopy to the hoisting cables, and a pullingcable connected to the hoisting cable.

I 12. In a tree fumigating apparatus, a truck including a'body,supporting wheels carried by the body, a bearing carried by the uppersurface of the'body adjacent to the central portion thereof, asupporting hollow post swivelly mounted in said bearing, lon-'gitudinally and transversely extending pairs of guy rods carried by thepost, means connecting the pairs of longitudinally extend-v ing rods andtransversely extending rods together, said means including a sprocketchain, longitudinally and transversely extending rotatable shaftscarried by the body, gear wheels carried by the shaftsarranged to engagethe sprocket chain, means for operating the shafts, means for lockingtheshafts against rotation, a second truck, a

supporting post pivotally carried by the" v second truck, supportingstandards slidably carried by thesupporting posts, an'overhead framedetachably carriedby the standards, and a hoisting and loweringapparatus arranged to detachably engage? a canopy.

s'r. ELMO TBAQTEMAN."

